Former schoolpal Tom Dale, 20, was travelling with him to work — and expressed fears at the tram’s speed even before it took the fateful bend in torrential rain.

Street cleaner Tom — who is in remission from leukaemia — said: “After we set off, I turned to some of the other passengers around Dane and said, ‘The tram’s a bit quicker this morning considering the weather’. It was tipping down.

“Dane was by the doors and I was about four steps away. We came out of the tunnel and we were flying along doing 40-50mph.

“I’d never known it go as fast as we approached that sharp bend. I heard no brakes.

“I knew the tram was going to go. I just grabbed on to the railing as hard as I could.